How it Works

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Donated Cattle: Donate a 500 to 700 pound feeder steer or heifer to Washington State University via the Cougar Pride Program. The steers are then sorted into outcome weight groups. Light steers are backgrounded prior to feeding a finishing diet. Each month producers receive updated progress reports. Steers are fed a finishing diet for a maximum of 150 days. Emphasis will be placed on feeding cattle: Targeted minimum .4 inch of backfat; Low choice; Yield grades 1 and 2. The animal will be finished, harvested, and evaluated. Custom Pen: The Cougar Cattle Feeders also have a custom feeding program in which a producer can send 5 to 6 animals to be custom fed. One of the animals must be donated to the Cougar Pride Program, but the producer retains ownership of their remaining animals in their custom pen and are responsible for the costs that are associated. Cougar Cattle Feeders will feed and manage the cattle, arrange for the harvest, and provide both live and carcass data to the producer. The difference between production costs while the animals are here at WSU (feed, yardage, and medical expenses) and the value of the carcasses, will be returned to the producer after harvest.